Method of patterning substrates

1. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: forming an electrically conductive etch mask layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the etch mask layer; etching into the etch mask layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; removing the etch mask layer and resist from the substrate; and the electrically conductive etch mask layer comprising an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, polyacetylene, polyphenylene, polyphenylenevinylene, polythiophene, copolymers of N-substituted pyrroles and thiophene, polyquinolines, polycarbazoles, polyphenothiozones, polyphthalocyanines, polyphenylsulfide, and mixtures thereof.

2. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: forming an electrically conductive etch mask layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the etch mask layer; etching into the etch mask layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; removing the etch mask layer and resist from the substrate; and the electrically conductive etch mask layer comprising an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polymetallophthalocyanines, polymetalynes, polymeric metal complexes of tetrathiolatopyrazine , polymeric metal complexes of tetrathiolatobisdithiinopyrazine, and mixtures thereof.

3. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: forming an electrically conductive etch mask layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the etch mask layer; etching into the etch mask layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; removing the etch mask layer and resist from the substrate; and wherein the electrically conductive etch mask layer comprises an electrically insulative polymer which has a conductivity enhancing material added therein effective to render the etch mask layer electrically conductive.

4. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: forming an electrically conductive etch mask layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the etch mask layer; etching into the etch mask layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; removing the etch mask layer and resist from the substrate; and wherein the electrically conductive etch mask layer comprises a polymer which has a conductivity enhancing material added therein, the conductivity enhancing material being selected from the group consisting of tetrathiafulvalene, tetracyanoquinodimethane, carbon, silver, aluminum, transition metal halides, non-transition metal halides, and mixtures thereof.

5. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: forming an electrically conductive etch mask layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the etch mask layer; etching into the etch mask layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; removing the etch mask layer and resist from the substrate; and further comprising providing a masking layer intermediate the etch mask layer and the resist layer.

6. A multilevel resist processing method comprising: forming a base etch mask layer of electrically conductive material; forming and patterning a layer of resist over the conductive etch mask layer; reactive ion etching into the conductive etch mask layer through an opening in the resist layer using an oxygen containing gas, high density plasma and a pressure at or below 10 mTorr; and wherein the base etch mask layer has greater outer surface planarity than planarity of an immediately underlying surface over which the base etch mask layer is formed.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising forming the opening in the patterned resist layer to have a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron, the reactive ion etching forming an opening through the conductive layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron.

8. A multilevel resist processing method comprising: forming a base etch mask layer of electrically conductive material; forming and patterning a layer of resist over the conductive etch mask layer; reactive ion etching into the conductive etch mask layer through an opening in the resist layer using an oxygen containing gas, high density plasma and a pressure at or below 10 mTorr; and the electrically conductive etch mask layer comprising an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, polyacetylene, polyphenylene, polyphenylenevinylene, polythiophene, copolymers of N-substituted pyrroles and thiophene, polyquinolines, polycarbazoles, polyphenothiozones, polyphthalocyanines, polyphenylsulfide, and mixtures thereof.

9. A multilevel resist processing method comprising: forming a base etch mask layer of electrically conductive material; forming and patterning a layer of resist over the conductive etch mask layer; reactive ion etching into the conductive etch mask layer through an opening in the resist layer using an oxygen containing gas, high density plasma and a pressure at or below 10 mTorr; and the electrically conductive etch mask layer comprising an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polymetallophthalocyanines, polymetalynes, polymeric metal complexes of tetrathiolatopyrazine, polymeric metal complexes of tetrathiolatobisdithiinopyrazine, and mixtures thereof.

10. A multilevel resist processing method comprising: forming a base etch mask layer of electrically conductive material; forming and patterning a layer of resist over the conductive etch mask layer; reactive ion etching into the conductive etch mask layer through an opening in the resist layer using an oxygen containing gas, high density plasma and a pressure at or below 10 mTorr; and wherein the electrically conductive base layer comprises an electrically insulative polymer which has a conductivity enhancing material added therein effective to render the etch mask layer electrically conductive.

11. A multilevel resist processing method comprising: forming a base etch mask layer of electrically conductive material; forming and patterning a layer of resist over the conductive etch mask layer; reactive ion etching into the conductive etch mask layer through an opening in the resist layer using an oxygen containing gas, high density plasma and a pressure at or below 10 mTorr; and wherein the electrically conductive base layer comprises a polymer which has a conductivity enhancing material added therein, the conductivity enhancing material being selected from the group consisting of tetrathiafulvalene, tetracyanoquinodimethane, carbon, silver, aluminum, transition metal halides, non-transition metal halides, and mixtures thereof.

12. A multilevel resist processing method comprising: forming a base etch mask layer of electrically conductive material; forming and patterning a layer of resist over the conductive etch mask layer; reactive ion etching into the conductive etch mask layer through an opening in the resist layer using an oxygen containing gas, high density plasma and a pressure at or below 10 mTorr; and further comprising providing a masking layer intermediate the etch mask layer and the resist layer.

13. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the electrically conductive layer; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a high density plasma etcher; dry etching within the high density plasma reactor into the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; etching into a substrate layer beneath the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the conductive layer at least in part by the dry etching; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and the electrically conductive etch mask layer comprising an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, polyacetylene, polyphenylene, polyphenylenevinylene, polythiophene, copolymers of N-substituted pyrroles and thiophene, polyquinolines, polycarbazoles, polyphenothiozones, polyphthalocyanines, polyphenylsulfide, and mixtures thereof.

14. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the electrically conductive layer; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a high density plasma etcher; dry etching within the high density plasma reactor into the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; etching into a substrate layer beneath the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the conductive layer at least in part by the dry etching; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and the electrically conductive etch mask layer comprising an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polymetallophthalocyanines, polymetalynes, polymeric metal complexes of tetrathiolatopyrazine , polymeric metal complexes of tetrathiolatobisdithiinopyrazine, and mixtures thereof.

15. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the electrically conductive layer; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a high density plasma etcher; dry etching within the high density plasma reactor into the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; etching into a substrate layer beneath the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the conductive layer at least in part by the dry etching; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises an electrically insulative polymer which has a conductivity enhancing material added therein effective to render the etch mask layer electrically conductive.

16. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the electrically conductive layer; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a high density plasma etcher; dry etching within the high density plasma reactor into the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; etching into a substrate layer beneath the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the conductive layer at least in part by the dry etching; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a polymer which has a conductivity enhancing material added therein, the conductivity enhancing material being selected from the group consisting of tetrathiafulvalene, tetracyanoquinodimethane, carbon, silver, aluminum, transition metal halides, non-transition metal halides, and mixtures thereof.

17. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive layer over a substrate; forming and patterning a resist layer over the electrically conductive layer; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a high density plasma etcher; dry etching within the high density plasma reactor into the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the patterned resist; etching into a substrate layer beneath the electrically conductive layer through an opening formed in the conductive layer at least in part by the dry etching; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and further comprising providing a masking layer intermediate the conductive layer and the resist layer.

18. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive etch mask polymer layer over a previously patterned substrate to a first thickness; forming and patterning a resist layer over the conductive etch mask layer to a second thickness which is less than the first thickness, the patterning forming an opening in the resist layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a dual powered high density plasma etcher; reactive ion etching within the plasma reactor through the electrically conductive layer through the resist opening using an oxygen containing plasma, the etching being conducted using ion energy of greater than 0 Volts and less than or equal to about 50 Volts and at a pressure of less than or equal to about 10 mTorr, and producing an opening in the conductive etch mask layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; etching into a substrate layer beneath the conductive etch mask layer through the conductive polymer layer opening to form a substrate feature having a minimum width of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and the electrically conductive layer comprises an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polypyrrole, polyacetylene, polyphenylene, polyphenylenevinylene, polythiophene, copolymers of N-substituted pyrroles and thiophene, polyquinolines, polycarbazoles, polyphenothiozones, polyphthalocyanines, polyphenylsulfide, and mixtures thereof.

19. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive etch mask polymer layer over a previously patterned substrate to a first thickness; forming and patterning a resist layer over the conductive etch mask layer to a second thickness which is less than the first thickness, the patterning forming an opening in the resist layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a dual powered high density plasma etcher; reactive ion etching within the plasma reactor through the electrically conductive layer through the resist opening using an oxygen containing plasma, the etching being conducted using ion energy of greater than 0 Volts and less than or equal to about 50 Volts and at a pressure of less than or equal to about 10 mTorr, and producing an opening in the conductive etch mask layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; etching into a substrate layer beneath the conductive etch mask layer through the conductive polymer layer opening to form a substrate feature having a minimum width of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and the electrically conductive layer comprises an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polymetallophthalocyanines, polymetalynes, polymeric metal complexes of tetrathiolatopyrazine, polymeric metal complexes of tetrathiolatobisdithiinopyrazine, and mixtures thereof.

20. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive etch mask polymer layer over a previously patterned substrate to a first thickness; forming and patterning a resist layer over the conductive etch mask layer to a second thickness which is less than the first thickness, the patterning forming an opening in the resist layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a dual powered high density plasma etcher; reactive ion etching within the plasma reactor through the electrically conductive layer through the resist opening using an oxygen containing plasma, the etching being conducted using ion energy of greater than 0 Volts and less than or equal to about 50 Volts and at a pressure of less than or equal to about 10 mTorr, and producing an opening in the conductive etch mask layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; etching into a substrate layer beneath the conductive etch mask layer through the conductive polymer layer opening to form a substrate feature having a minimum width of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a polymer which has a conductivity enhancing material added therein.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the conductivity enhancing material is selected from the group consisting of tetrathiafulvalene, tetracyanoquinodimethane, carbon, silver, aluminum, transition metal halides, non-transition metal halides, and mixtures thereof.

22. A method of patterning a substrate comprising: depositing an electrically conductive etch mask polymer layer over a previously patterned substrate to a first thickness; forming and patterning a resist layer over the conductive etch mask layer to a second thickness which is less than the first thickness, the patterning forming an opening in the resist layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; providing the substrate with patterned resist layer within a dual powered high density plasma etcher; reactive ion etching within the plasma reactor through the electrically conductive layer through the resist opening using an oxygen containing plasma, the etching being conducted using ion energy of greater than 0 Volts and less than or equal to about 50 Volts and at a pressure of less than or equal to about 10 mTorr, and producing an opening in the conductive etch mask layer having a minimum open dimension of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; etching into a substrate layer beneath the conductive etch mask layer through the conductive polymer layer opening to form a substrate feature having a minimum width of less than or equal to 0.2 micron; removing the electrically conductive layer and the resist layer from the substrate; and further comprising providing a masking layer intermediate the conductive polymer layer and the resist layer.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polypyrrole.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyacetylene.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenylene.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenylenevinylene.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polythiophene.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a copolymer of an N-substituted pyrrole.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a copolymer of an N-substituted thiophene.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyquinoline.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polycarbazole.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenothiozone.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphthalocyanine.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenlysulfide.

35. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polypyrrole.

36. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyacetylene.

37. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenylene.

38. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenylenevinylene.

39. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polythiophene.

40. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a copolymer of an N-substituted pyrrole.

41. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a copolymer of an N-substituted thiophene.

42. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyquinoline.

43. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polycarbazole.

44. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenothiozone.

45. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphthalocyanine.

46. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenlysulfide.

47. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polypyrrole.

48. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyacetylene.

49. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenylene.

50. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenylenevinylene.

51. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polythiophene.

52. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a copolymer of an N-substituted pyrrole.

53. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a copolymer of an N-substituted thiophene.

54. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyquinoline.

55. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polycarbazole.

56. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenothiozone.

57. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphthalocyanine.

58. The method of claim 13 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenlysulfide.

59. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polypyrrole.

60. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyacetylene.

61. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenylene.

62. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenylenevinylene.

63. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polythiophene.

64. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a copolymer of an N-substituted pyrrole.

65. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a copolymer of an N-substituted thiophene.

66. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyquinoline.

67. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polycarbazole.

68. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenothiozone.

69. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphthalocyanine.

70. The method of claim 18 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polyphenlysulfide.

71. The method of claim 2 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymetallophthalocyanine.

72. The method of claim 2 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymetaline.

73. The method of claim 2 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymeric metal complex of tetrathiolatopyrazine.

74. The method of claim 2 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymeric metal complex of tetrathiolatobisdithiinopyrazine.

75. The method of claim 9 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymetallophthalocyanine.

76. The method of claim 9 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymetaline.

77. The method of claim 9 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymeric metal complex of tetrathiolatopyrazine.

78. The method of claim 9 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymeric metal complex of tetrathiolatobisdithiinopyrazine.

79. The method of claim 14 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymetallophthalocyanine.

80. The method of claim 14 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymetaline.

81. The method of claim 14 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymeric metal complex of tetrathiolatopyrazine.

82. The method of claim 14 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymeric metal complex of tetrathiolatobisdithiinopyrazine.

83. The method of claim 19 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymetallophthalocyanine.

84. The method of claim 19 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymetaline.

85. The method of claim 19 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymeric metal complex of tetrathiolatopyrazine.

86. The method of claim 19 wherein the organic polymer comprises a polymeric metal complex of tetrathiolatobisdithiinopyrazine.

87. The method of claim 4 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetrathiafulvalene.

88. The method of claim 4 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetracyanoquinodimethane.

89. The method of claim 4 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises carbon.

90. The method of claim 4 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises silver.

91. The method of claim 4 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises aluminum.

92. The method of claim 4 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a transition metal halide.

93. The method of claim 4 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a non-transition metal halide.

94. The method of claim 11 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetrathiafulvalene.

95. The method of claim 11 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetracyanoquinodimethane.

96. The method of claim 11 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises carbon.

97. The method of claim 11 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises silver.

98. The method of claim 11 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises aluminum.

99. The method of claim 11 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a transition metal halide.

100. The method of claim 11 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a non-transition metal halide.

101. The method of claim 16 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetrathiafulvalene.

102. The method of claim 16 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetracyanoquinodimethane.

103. The method of claim 16 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises carbon.

104. The method of claim 16 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises silver.

105. The method of claim 16 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises aluminum.

106. The method of claim 16 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a transition metal halide.

107. The method of claim 16 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a non-transition metal halide.

108. The method of claim 21 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetrathiafulvalene.

109. The method of claim 21 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetracyanoquinodimethane.

110. The method of claim 21 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises carbon.

111. The method of claim 21 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises silver.

112. The method of claim 21 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises aluminum.

113. The method of claim 21 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a transition metal halide.

114. The method of claim 21 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a non-transition metal halide.

115. The method of claim 3 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetrathiafulvalene.

116. The method of claim 3 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetracyanoquinodimethane.

117. The method of claim 3 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises carbon.

118. The method of claim 3 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises silver.

119. The method of claim 3 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises aluminum.

120. The method of claim 3 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a transition metal halide.

121. The method of claim 3 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a non-transition metal halide.

122. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetrathiafulvalene.

123. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetracyanoquinodimethane.

124. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises carbon.

125. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises silver.

126. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises aluminum.

127. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a transition metal halide.

128. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a non-transition metal halide.

129. The method of claim 10 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetrathiafulvalene.

130. The method of claim 15 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises tetracyanoquinodimethane.

131. The method of claim 15 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises carbon.

132. The method of claim 15 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises silver.

133. The method of claim 15 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises aluminum.

134. The method of claim 15 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a transition metal halide.

135. The method of claim 15 wherein the conductivity enhancing material comprises a non-transition metal halide.